


Sunspots

by Dusty_Forgotten



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 3, Fallout 4
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2016-05-20
Packaged: 2018-06-09 16:50:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 706
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6915301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dusty_Forgotten/pseuds/Dusty_Forgotten
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Just getting a feel for characters, working those writer muscles.</p>
    </blockquote>





	Sunspots

**Author's Note:**

> Just getting a feel for characters, working those writer muscles.

The rising sun crested the horizon and reflected from Danse’s helmet right as he began preaching the wonders of the Brotherhood of Steel. It was all very cinematic— or, would have been, had Erin not broken into a snorting laugh in the middle of the invitation.

“You find this amusing,” he half-sneered, half-stated.

She waved a negative, unable to speak. The mercenary bit her lip, huffed a breath, and gathered herself. “I find it ironic,” she said, reaching under the collar of her shirt, and coming back with a pair of dogtags hooked around her fingers. “I’m a Knight.”

He narrowed his eyes, like he was clenching to keep that stick lodged firmly in his asshole. “That’s not possible.”

“You can check that Codex, Knight Erin Holt of Lyons’ Pride, fought in the battle for Project Purity, sustained critical radiation activating it, and don’t even get me started on what I did at Raven Rock…”

“I will not tolerate these lies!” Danse hissed, and if he thought she missed the way his grip on that laser rifle tightened, he was wrong. She also didn’t miss his uncomfortable shift when she took a step forward— hard to, when every twitch translates in power armour.

Towering over her in that gorgeous T-60, but Erin had killed too many deathclaws to be scared of a little power armour. “Check your records, Paladin.” Then she shrugged, smiled. “On the high chance your new Elder’s struck that— God knows Lyons’ not calling the shots— then you come see me. We’ll check  _ my _ records.” She tapped the screen of her Pip-Boy, took a step back. “I’ll show you my maps for all the Enclave strongholds, and the Citadel, with my markers for where to find the quartermaster, Rothchild, and the Pride. The ledgers for all the sensor modules and cameras I turned in to fix up Liberty Prime, back in ‘77.” Names, dates— details a civilian wouldn’t have. For good measure, with a little bluffing, she pulled up her Pip-Boy, clicked a few tabs over. “If we were in DC I could show you the T-45 I wore when we took Project Purity, but I guess the audio logs from Li and my dad will do…”

Pushing it, overplaying her hand— Erin half-expected the conversation to end with a pulse grenade— but Danse was looking at her like she’d told him she used to keep a pet eyebot, not like she’d burned his crops and poisoned his water supply. “You’re James’s daughter.”

Hadn’t heard that one in a while. She smiled, turned on that family charm. “Erin Holt, nice to meet you.”

The sun had finally gotten off the ground, and was glaring right in Erin’s eyes. Couldn’t tell what kind of expression Danse was sporting, assumed it was something equally as constipated. “I knew you were instrumental in that operation, but I was not aware to the extent. Or, your initiation into the Brotherhood.”

“Eh, it was sort of a last-minute thing,” she sighed. “Here’s your power armour, there’s the giant robot, I officially name you a Knight, let’s move.”

“I’m… not sure I believe all this.” Disbelief marred his tone, not defensiveness. She let the spots fade from her vision while she stepped into his massive shadow.

“Yeah, I don’t blame ya. Pretty crazy coincidence.” “Seen crazier, but…” She leaned far to the right as he shifted his weight. “Look, I’ve seen Brotherhood from coast to coast, and that Codex leaves a lot more to interpretation than you’d think. Hell, the Outcasts were more Brotherhood than the DC Brotherhood. Mojave chapter had paladins in power armour with their overkill plasma casters and gatling lasers, and the NCR still kicked their ass.” His squint told her she’d lost him.

Erin adjusted the strap of the new laser rifle on her shoulder, grateful she wouldn’t have to use it on the guy that gave it to her. “Paladin, all I’m saying is that loyalty’s admirable, but you gotta know what you’re loyal to. The Brotherhood, or the Elder?”

She let it hang for a moment, let his caterpillars-for-brows knit together, then make for his hairline. She’s like to start for home before it got too damn bright out. “See you at Cambridge.”


End file.
